Ensuring Social Justice and Equality:

How Material Objects Based on Buddhist Ideals Benefit Donor Communities 6088334 A Critical Response Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of Buddhist Art and Ritual Dr. Basu March 6, 2014

By examining material objects based on Buddhist ideals from both a historical and contemporary perspective, the objective observer would likely agree with Leedom Lefferts assessment in his 2012 publication, Textiles and Social Action in Theravada Buddhist Thailand, that material objects are Crucial in moving and shaping peoples lives (Lefferts 48). In the context of the Thai and Lao, material objects, such as the Vessantara Jataka painted scrolls, act in a way that transcends mere physical existence in the sense that they bring communities together to work toward common goals and help mobilize social orders. The power material objects hold in the shaping and expansion of human behavior is not unique to Thai-Lao Theravada Buddhist communities, nor is it a modern phenomenon. In fact, the remnants of the 60-foot pillars constructed during the reign of ancient Indias Buddhist emperor Ashoka, suggest that material objects may have played a similar role in shaping society. Given this information, one must ask how putting such a large emphasis on material objects influences collective values and whether or not these influences are beneficial to society as a whole. Using Bruce Richs 2011 publication, To Uphold the World, What ancient Indias Buddhist emperor can tell us about our current crisis, and Lefferts Textiles and Social Action in Theravada Buddhist Thailand, this paper will examine the Vessantara Jataka painted scrolls of modern Thai-Lau communities and the remnants of the 60-foot pillars constructed during the reign of Ashoka in ancient India to illustrate how material objects can benefit donor communities and ensure social justice and equality.

3 From reading Lefferts chapter on Theravada Buddhism in Thailand and Richs article on Ashokas empire, it becomes evident that many similarities can be drawn between Ashokas ancient Indian Empire and Thai-Lau Theravada Buddhist communities in terms of political structure and the role material culture plays in shaping social values. Although the vast majority of Ashokas empire did not identify as Buddhist, Ashoka embraced the Buddhas teachings and worked to implement Buddhist ideals into a unified, secular code of citizenship. This secular ethic, which Ashoka called Dhamma, served as a universal guide for social conduct that could be accepted by all people of his empire. According to Bruce Rich, Ashokas Dhamma, inscribed on 60-foot, stone pillars throughout different parts of the subcontinent, provided guidance in governance and policy and established uniform and equal application of laws (Rich 56). In the Dhamma, Ashoka states That all religious and philosophical sects have an essential doctrine, the progress of which he [Ashoka] will nurture through gifts and recognition. (Rich 56) From this exceprt, it is evident that Ashokas Dhamma centralized political governances. Additionally, because offering contributions and recognition to Ashoka enhanced the progress of religious and philosophical sects, these sects are referred to as donor communities. Much like the governance of ancient India, the Thai monarchy employs a kingdom-wide system of power, prestige, and goal-achievement (Lefferts 49). Although the Thai monarchys political structure differs from that of the Dhamma in the sense that it holds strong ties with Theravada Buddhism, each of these governances provide its citizens with a common civic ideology based on

4 transcendent values. The prevalence of a common civic ideology establishes a moral ethic that brings people from different ethnic communities together to work toward common goals. In each of these contexts (Thailand and ancient India during Ashokas reign) the foundation of a moral ethic proves to be particularly significant. The immense size of Ashokas empire, stretching from present-day Afghanistan deep into southern India and modern-day Bangladesh, reveals that the empire was both racially and culturally heterogeneous; that is, It was a multiethnic, multicultural state and was, for its time and in certain ways, a microcosm of our own globalized world (Rich 54). Although less heterogeneous than ancient India, Thailand still has several ethnic groups. Of these groups, there are many similarities and differences (Leffert 58). In a society with many different ethnic backgrounds, establishing a common civic ideology is crucial to the survival and success of the governance. In To Uphold The World, What ancient Indias Buddhist emperor can tell us about our current crisis, Bruch Rich highlights the importance of establishing a universal moral order by introducing two schools of economic thought. The first school, Rich refers to as a technocratic engineering approach, Which asserts that since an economic foundation underlies all other social goals and values, the promotion of economic gain has to be the primary goal of public policy (Rich 56). The second school focuses on the ethical, moral, and political well being of society. Without an established set of moral and collective values in a heterogeneous society, social cohesion amongst different sects of people diminishes and the ingrained notions of progress become convoluted (Rich 56-57). As a result, common goals

5 collapse into nothing more than efforts to increase production and trade (Rich 56). Bruce Richs discussion on economic thought suggests that social justice and equality are threatened in societies that lack moral and collective values. Taking Bruce Richs emphasis on social order into consideration, the argument can be made that material objects based on Buddhist ideals benefit donor communities and ensure social justice and equality. In the context of Ashokas empire, the 60-foot stone pillars constructed throughout the subcontinent served as a way to mobilize a social order. Inscribed on the pillars was Ashokas Dhamma, a social order inspired by Buddhist ideals that provided guidance in governance and policy (Rich 56). According to Bruce Rich, the Dhamma promoted Adam Smiths three foundational values that uphold social order: justice, prudence, and beneficence, stating Ashokas edicts emphasize such key ideals of justice as a fair, just, and efficient legal system The edicts call for restraint, frugality, and abstention from violent action By promoting charity, establishing public hospitals and public works Ashoka made beneficence toward all life a matter of policy (Rich 57). Because the 60-foot stone pillars publicize Ashokas edicts and were constructed by Ashokas people, their presence symbolizes social cohesion and helped mobilize social order. The Vessantara Jataka painted scrolls of the Thai and Lao communities are another example of material objects based on Buddhist ideals that benefit donor communities. The Vessantara Jataka is a painted scroll that depicts the life of Prince Vessantara, a karma that will be reborn as Siddhartha Guatama. Although the story has evolved differently among Thai-Lao communities, the celebrations are fairly

6 similar in the sense that they bring communities together in quest for purification, communal search for better rebirths, and pledge of allegiance to the ruler (Lefferts 58). According to Leedom Lefforts, the Vessantara Jataka and the Bun Phra Wet ceremony serve two functions. Firstly the scroll and its procession ensure the success of the socio-karmic community. During the Bun Phra Wet ceremony, the successful life of Prince Vessantara is evoked and recreated, allowing wat congregations across northeast Thailand to associate with Vessantaras past, present and future. The scroll allows the community to seek-merit collectively (Lefferts 64). The second function of the scroll that Leffert discusses pertains to the alignment of muangs populace with a particular kind of social organization, which in the case of the northeast Thailands Thai-Lau community is the Thai monarchy (Lefferts 64). While the Bun Phra Wet ceremony was once viewed as a symbol of defiance to the monarchy, it now serves as a ritual of allegiance toward the current system. This change in perception of the Bun Phra Wet ceremony illustrates that these rituals are not invariable and cater to the times and customs. Much like the pillars of ancient India, the Vessantara Jataka mobilizes collective values and political alignment. Lefferts highlights the social significance of the scroll, arguing, The scroll, its procession, and the festival focus on the salvation and success of the people of a community and its temple (Lefferts 65). The Vessantara Jataka painted scrolls promotes the act of giving and encourages communities to seek enlightenment collectively. Because of this, the scrolls mobilize a set of collective values that transcend materialism.

7 By examining the Vessantara Jataka and the stone pillars of Ashokas reign, it is evident that material objects based on Buddhist ideals can mobilize the establishment of collective values and encourage communities to contribute to common goals. The presence of moral and collective values in a society allows for social cohesion and protects against the blind pursuit of material gain. By mobilizing common civic ideology and encouraging donations, material objects based on Buddhist ideals ensure social justice and equality.

8 Works Cited

Lefferts, Leedom. "Textiles and Social Action in Theravada Buddhist Thailand." A companion to Asian art and architecture. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: WileyBlackwell, 2011. 49-69. Print. Rich, Bruce. "To Uphold the World: What ancient India's Buddhist emperor can tell us about our current crisis." Tricycle 20.4 (2011): 54-57. Print.